May 19, 2020 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to this direct support to farmers and ranchers, USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box … [Read more...]
Harmony Council discusses COVID-19 hardships
At the May 12 Harmony City Council meeting, the council discussed a letter received from a Harmony business owner about the cost of liquor licenses when many small businesses are facing financial hardships due to COVID-19. Mayor Steve Donney pointed out that around a third of the year’s business has been or will be lost during the stay-at-home order. As an ordinance would have … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor Why the left hates America and Trump
Opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of the Fillmore County Journal. To the Editor, Kudos to Jeff Erding for writing “Fact Checking the Haters,” April 20, 2020; as a counter to the misinformation and outright lies put out by the left-leaning mainstream media. As expected, the leftist media is exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to smear him as a complete … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Reopening the economy
I never thought in my lifetime that I’d see... A day when we couldn’t go to church. A day when our children couldn’t attend school, but would have to continue their education from our home. A day when all school activities would be cancelled. A day when graduating high school seniors couldn’t have a traditional graduation ceremony. A day when cities would take down … [Read more...]
City of Canton alters COVID-19 response
Canton City Council members met on May 13 at the town hall to comply with social distancing requirements. Coincidentally, Governor Walz announced that Minnesota’s Stay-at- home directive would be allowed to expire on May 18. Council updates to COVID-19 policy included opening of the city office on May 18 and the resumption of the normal utility disconnection policy. … [Read more...]
Food shelves continue to provide in the midst of the pandemic
Area food shelves have been busy implementing new procedures due to COVID-19. Normally, these food shelves operate on a consumer choice model where shoppers select items themselves (with a limit on high demand items like protein). Now, workers and volunteers are prepacking items to be picked up at the door or curbside. Some prepacked boxes are also purchased from Channel … [Read more...]
COVID-19 in America – the Hagedorn Report
By David Webb, MD Lanesboro, MN In his May Day report to constituents, Congressman James Hagedorn wrote that he was “grateful to President Trump and Vice President Pence for their leadership throughout the pandemic.” It makes one wonder what he must be smoking. Thanks largely to the disingenuous, self-serving, and utterly inept response of the President to the unfolding … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Small town survival
Our small towns have been hit hard with the coronavirus. Not the virus itself. Our COVID-19 numbers have been low for quite some time. As of press time, there have been 13 cases identified in Fillmore County and two cases reported in Houston County. With an average of 25 people per square mile in Fillmore County and an average of 33 people per square mile in Houston … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Council reviews COVID-19 closures
At the May 4 Lanesboro City Council meeting, the council reviewed the closures of public spaces. Council member Tom Smith made a motion that the campground bathhouse and visitor’s center bathrooms be re-opened. Mayor Jason Resseman noted that there was a recommendation from the governor that those type of facilities be open to allow recreational activities. The council approved … [Read more...]
Rushford Village ponders immediate future of community center
The Rushford Village Hall is closed until January 1, 2021, at which point use of the facility will be reviewed. That was the decision made at the May 5 Village Council meeting following Governor Walz’s extension of COVID-19 preventions. The decision wasn’t made lightly, but to err on the side of caution, as noted by several on the council. Rentals of the space for May were … [Read more...]